To the Editor:
Initiative 677 masquerades as a civil rights measure, supposedly to stop "discrimination"
against homosexual people in the workplace. But backers of I-677 were only able to
scrounge up 60 complaints of such discrimination, some going back over 20 years.
Dan Savage, pro-homosexual writer for Seattle's alternative newspaper "The Stranger,"
has recently written in The Seattle Times that 'Hands Off Washington' is wrong, and that
homosexuals and lesbians do not live in fear of losing their jobs in Washington state. On
Seattle TV's 'The Compton Report,' Savage also said that I-677 "doesn't belong on the
ballot."
Writing to supporters on the Internet, Hands Off's executive director, Jan Bianchi,
summed up her hopes for I-677 by stating: "The ultimate result of the initiative will be our
ability to elect more gay friendly candidates."
In the words of pro-homosexuals, then, I-677 is not needed, and it is really about even
more political power for this special interest group.
I-677 would actually cause discrimination itself, stealing freedoms of speech and
conscience from one group of employees and employers, and giving special standing in
court - and a lawsuit sledgehammer over any who disagree - to another group.
Should an employee's "emotional distress," over what they think a co-worker or employer
might "perceive" regarding their "sexual orientation," be enough to have people hauled
into court to face expensive lawsuits for "damages?"
Citizens should say 'no' to this brand of one-way workplace "tolerance" where speech
(and thoughts) favoring the homosexual agenda are welcome, but where anyone daring to
oppose homosexuality is liable to be prosecuted. Vote no on I-677.
Bob Larimer
Spokesman
N.O.P.E! on I-677 (No Official Preferential Employment)